Thinking about Korean tea lately. Remembering all the time I spent in the teahouses in Insadong - a favorite neighborhood in Seoul - on the weekends, lounging over a cup of tea and the Korean alphabet. My three favorites were quince, jujube, and plum tea. Always served in a beautiful, earthy cup with a small wooden spoon.
Although I traveled around much of the country, I never made it to famous green tea fields. However, I did learn how to perform a Korean tea ceremony, an elaborate ritual with specific equipment and certain gestures and moments for each part of the performance. The ritual of drinking tea was always best when served with delicate rice cakes, pictured below.
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The dark days of winter have almost passed. While I enjoy the yearly chance to hibernate, I love to see the light dawning when I wake and be able to ride home without bike lights when I finish for the day. Thank you to warm-lit lamps and steaming drinks for your coziness during the cold months. Until next year. (image above 
A few years ago, while living in Seoul, I spent many Sunday afternoons in